Thursday, January 29, 2015

I've been looking for classic mid-cut sneakers in black, and I finally found a pair at NÃO do Brasil in Megamall:

They're super comfy, no break-ins required. Even my kids love their pairs! So, if you're a huge fan of this sneaker label, or maybe you've been wanting to buy a pair, but still waiting for a reason to, here's one:

Yup! Because #naodobrasilphturns1, they're giving customers this chance to enjoy 30% off on selected items from January 28 to February 1, 2015!

Visit NÃO do Brasil at the 3/F of SM Megamall Fashion Hall to see what they have in store. With the many varied, limited edition pieces they have, there's something to catch your fancy.

A classic solid, like mine

trendy camouflage print

sweet feminine sneakers in various shades of pink prints

For me, the kids styles take the cake.

The color combinations are fun and quite funky.

Wouldn't this be adorbs on a baby girl?

Cute subtle stripe detail on this one.

Of course, I ended up getting something similar to this for Xavi. Always going for what's neutral. Yep, that's me.

I would have wanted this exact pair, but they didn't have it in Xavi's size.

Aihleen Gruba of NÃO do Brasil did tell me before that when I see a color and style I like in the size I need, I better get it because it might be the only pair of that style left.

This is because 70% of their shoes are made from recycled or salvaged materials, sourced from various Brazilian manufacturers. Each pair is entirely made by hand by an artisan, in one of the five workshops set-up in different parts of Brazil. Which makes each pair all the more special.

NÃO do Brasil sneakers come in various styles in hundreds of color combinations, with sizes ranging from 18 (infants) to 47 (adults). Find the perfect pair for you, made more perfect if it's part of the ongoing sale too!

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Back when I was in high school and college, my favorite place above all was the mall. Ahihi.

So, you can just imagine what online shopping has done to my life. It has brought temptation right to my doorstep. Eeep!

I mostly shop US online stores, and a few homegrown sites like Chicify, Elin, Seek the Uniq, Ava, Taste Central and such. But I've found another locally based online store to add to the list - www.ssilife.com.ph, and it's not just any online store.

It's like an online mall of SSI brands!

Crazy good right?

Of course, I shopped it already. Bought a tea scoop, the crowd-pleasing TWG Silver Moon tea to serve to guests at home, a bottle of balsamic vinegar and a stainless steel funnel from O & Co., and of course, my ever trusted K-Palette eyebrow liner from Beauty Bar.

Buying is so easy. As with the typical online store, I just registered to create an account, browsed the site (they do need to add more brands and products to the merchandise mix), added my choices to cart, checked out, inputted all pertinent information, paid and received an order confirmation. That's it!

In two days, I received this well packed box...

So well packed, all the items were individually bubble wrapped inside.

And when I opened each one, each was so pristine, it was like I shopped and chose the items with care myself. Love, love, love.

With most of the SSI brands under the ssilife.com.ph umbrella, customers have the option to purchase online, or browse online and purchase offline in stores.

Says Anton Huang, President of SSI Group, Inc., "We are the only e-commerce participant that is able to implement an omni-channel apporach, where are bricks and mortar will complement the online shopping experience of our customers and vice versa".

In this day and age where "customer experience" happens to be the retail buzzword, SSI is definitely on the right track, with a digital shopping experience like no other. Especially as there are more SSI brands to be added in the following months.

For this current term, Term 1 2015(starts January 24, 2015), it's Football, Basketball, Golf, Cricket and Athletics for the Valle Verde V and Treston locations. For City Club, it's Football, Tennis, Hockey, Rugby and T-ball.

Qualified instructors with early childhood and coaching experience teach each class. They have a Level 1 Coaching Certificate from Australia and to assuage our typical parent concerns - they are trained in First Aid.

Coaches are always ready to teach, assist and support the kids

What do the kids get out of RSGK?

Gross and fine motor skills are developed, as well as hand-eye and foot-eye coordination through RSGK's activities. This is especially useful if your kids need development in these areas. It's almost like therapy!

Because kids are in a group, they learn the concepts of sportsmanship, as well as learning important life skills like cooperation, playing by the rules, and taking turns.

More than just exposure to other kids, my kids were taught how it is to be part of a team

RSGK is a sportier version of play school. For kids who are about to enter preschool or are in preschool, the program teaches concentration, following directions, even basic concepts of colors, numbers and shapes. Which of course, also helps them get ready for when they are in a real classroom setting.

Because RSGK introduces kids to different sports at such a young age, it helps them cultivate a love for sports and exercise, which they may carry on into their adult years, and shape their attitude towards life in general - which is, cross fingers, that of a champion!

Lastly, RSGK aims for their students to be able to have at least a basic understanding of different sports, which will also help them zoom in into the one or two they are most passionate about.

Fantastic no? Each term of 10 sessions is Php9,995. For a FREE TRIAL, contact Ready Steady Go Kids at the numbers listed below.

And for those who cannot make it to the first session of TERM 1, 2015, no worries! The RSGK program is designed in such a way that new students can come in at any time within the term, and make up for missed sessions in the following term.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Mothers! It must be shared! MEDELA HOUSE SALE happening this Saturday, January 24, 2015 in New Manila. Most of our trusted go-to brands are going to be there, so it's worth a visit. We might see each other there pa ;)

For the past three months, my friends and I put our kids through Ready Steady Go Kids partly because:

1) We wanted our kids to really sweat it out the old fashioned way - running around playing sports in the "open air", rather than in an air conditioned venue. And...

2) We wanted to have an excuse to meet up to chika, while the kids got their weekly dose of supervised play.

And what fun it was! My friends and I actually looked forward to each Ready Steady Go Kids session, with a scheduled lunch out after pa. If only for that, sulit na.

But the greater joy was seeing our kids trying their best at each and every sport they were introduced to. All the more when we saw them doing well, when hitting a hockey puck or a tennis ball seemed so natural for them. Even more so just seeing them having fun, and watching their faces beam with pride when their coaches would enthusiastically compliment them for hitting a ball right smack where it should hit, or for sending a puck flying across the court.

My friends and I were talking about this. What we liked about Ready Steady Go is that we weren't committing to one sport for one whole term. Because what it really is about is introducing the kids to different sports and fun activities, to also help them discover what they enjoyed, and what challenged them the most.

In ten sessions, they got to try kicking around soccer balls.

Playing with hula hoops.

Mucking about with a hockey stick and puck.

Raising a racket over tennis.

And getting a feel of what it's like to play rugby.

All these coupled with fun warm-ups and circle activities where kids can interact with other kids.

Curious? Enrollments are
now open for Term 1, 2015. When you
enroll before January 24, 2015 you get to save with their Early Bird enrollment promotion.

Here's the schedule for next term, for each of the three locations where Ready Steady Go Kids hold classes:

You may also book a trial class for your kid/kids before enrolling. Simply call (02) 631-1497 or email info@readysteadygokids.com.ph - so easy!

NEXT UP: The 411 on Ready Steady Go Kids

About Ready Steady Go Kids:

Ready Steady Go Kids is Australia’s leading preschool sport and exercise program. Operating since 2004, they currently run classes for toddlers and kids (aged 2.5 – 7 years) at more than 150 locations in Australia and across Asia. Their physio-designed multi-sport activities teach preschoolers the fundamentals of 10 different sports and develop and enhance gross and fine motor skills in a fun, social, non-competitive and supportive environment.

Ready Steady Go Kids seeks to promote a healthy lifestyle, develop a
lifelong passion for physical activity and sport, decrease childhood
obesity, increase confidence and prepare children for participation in
school and the broader community.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

If you live in the Greenhills area, frequent it, or on the off chance that you happen to pass by with your kids, you ought to bring them to Slammin' Mini Burgers in Greenhills Promenade and Rita's Ice in Virra Mall.

These two fairly new places are guaranteed to get your kids psyched to enjoy some mini burgers and crisp fries, and then a cool dessert. I promise you, they would want to keep on coming back for more. Yes, even if they are picky eaters.

Slammin' Mini Burgers

Inspired by the movie Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Patrick Dy, Slammin's President, thought of opening a mini burger shop, because there was nothing quite like it here in Manila.

And just like that of White Castle's sliders, their 100% beef chuck patties for their mini burgers "are onions steam grilled".

Slammin' Mini's burger shop in Promenade is equally cute. Here's the counter, mini-sized but big enough to prepare all their sliders, fries, even chicken wings and beer-battered fish.

Berry & I shared a triple order of the Slammin' Cheese Slider, chicken nuggets, and fries, and Berry loved how the burger was perfectly sized for her.

The mini burgers do have a lot of kiddie appeal, because the little ones feel like the burgers were made for them.

PS - The fries I have to stress, are yum! Perfectly crisp, and never gets
soggy. After all, the group behind Slammin' is the same group behind
Belgian Fries.

After you get your fill of mini burgers and fries, head on over to Virra Mall. What used to be Milky Way is now Rita's Ice, a popular chain from the East Coast, with roots in Pennsylvania, known for their Italian ice and frozen custards.

This was how the counter looked during the dry run, pre-opening. But since it officially opened in November, it has become very busy, with a line to the door, most of the time.

Rita's Italian ice is made fresh daily, and made from real fruit and/or fruit juices. Quite healthy, and super tasty!

Xavi had like three taster cups, all different flavors, and his favorite was the mango Italian ice.

A Blendini is a mix of Italian ice and frozen custard, and you may choose to have a signature concoction, like so...

Or blend your own, like I did. This is cookies and cream Italian ice with frozen custard and crushed Oreos. Yes, I do love my Oreos.

Berry had frozen custard with gummy bears. Simple, sweet, and fun to eat!

The kids had fun here, and I did too. Really worth checking out, I tell you!

Thursday, January 15, 2015

It was a thrill to be asked by Tina Carillo of Preview Magazine to be part of their December 2014/January 2015 issue. Yup, that same issue with the radiant December bride, Marianne Rivera, on the cover. Plus, here's a FUN FACT: Berry had a cameo in the Style Profile too!

Of course, because Berry & I were so excited for this to come out, Dada was able to buy early. But my family had trouble finding this issue as most stores are already sold out. I hope you can still get a copy before January ends.

For a digital copy of Preview, you may still download the December 2014/January 2015 issue via buqo on your iPad or iPhone!

Smart, Sun and Talk ’N Text are partnering with Twitter and will offer FREE Twitter on mobile as a public service for the millions of Filipinos who wants to share their thoughts and experiences in the upcoming visit of Pope Francis on January 15 to 19.

For more information on free access to Twitter for Smart subscribers during Pope Francis’s visit, click HERE!